Tanning of butts or hides and in apparatus to be used therefor.



E. WlLSON. 0R HIDES AND lN APPARATUS T0 BE USED THEREFOR.

TANNlNG or Buns E. WILSON. 0F BUTTS 0R HIDES AND IN APPARATUS T0 BE USED THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED. AUG.25. T915. 1,1761633. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LV1-g5.

TANNING UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD WILSON, OF`BOOTLE, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

TANNING 0F BUTTS OR HIDES `AND IN APPARATUS T0 BE USED THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Manzi, 1916.

Application led August Y25, 1915. Serial No. 47,312.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD WILSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Hawthorne Road Works, Bootle,

Liverpool, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Tanning of Butts or Hides and in Apparatus to be Used Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved method of mounting butts upon a drum which is caused to rotate in a vat with al semi-cylindrical bottom in which the tanning liquor is automatically maintained at the required strength, in such a manner that such butts are securely fastened to the sticks constituting the periphery of said drum, and in such a way as to insure their being conveyed by the rotation of the drum practically edgewise through the liquor.

Al machine constructed according to my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,'in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine with the slats constituting the periphery of the drum thereof removed. Fig. 2 a transverse section of such machine. Fig. 3 a transverse section through the drum drawn to a larger scale and showing diagrammatically the butts or hides mounted thereon and the positions they assume 'during the rotation of the drum. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one of the slats of the drum and of the means employed for securing the butts or hides to the opposite sides thereof. Fig. 5l is a side elevation of Fig. 4 drawn to a smaller scale and showing the butt or hide which is secured to one side of the slat.

In these drawings 1 is the drum the periphery of which is composed of a series of sticks or slats 2 with intervening spaces, and which are removably mounted in end frames 3 carried either by a shaft or preferably supported on end trunnons 4 as shown and which are mounted in bearings 5 on the semicylindrical vat 6 vand suitably actuated (as by worm 7 and worm wheel 8) to rotate at the required speed.

At any suitable point intermediate of the periphery of the drum 1 and the axis thereof a 'circular series of equi-distant bars 9 extend between the end frames 3. and the hides or skins 10 (see Fig. 3) mounted upon the sticks or slats 2 are carried rearward in the tween said bars, the hides or skins from any convenient number of such sticks passing into the space between each two adjacent or following bars. These bars are sufficient in number and so spaced as to afford support to the hides or skins throughout the greater part of the rotation of the drum.

For loading the machine the sticks or slats 2 to the opposite sides of which the butts or hides have been secured are inserted in the openings 3x formed in the end frames 3 to receive same, so as to bring the free ends of the desired number of hides backward in the direction of rotation between two adjacent poles 9. The drum is then turned to bring the next section thereof to the loading position 11 in the covering or housing 12 which surrounds the upper part of said drum, and the loading is continued with intermittent advances of the drum until the last section is reached when it is necessary to remove the sticks carrying the butts which were first introduced and which overlap the space between those poles 9 which the rearwardly extended ends of the butts for such last section are to enter. A portion 12 of the end frame 3 on one side is made removable for the purpose of facilitating the lifting of the loaded sticks from this section, such portion 12 being secured in position by bolts 13, and when removed enabling the hides to be turned back and expose the space between the poles 9 into which the free rearwardly extending ends of the last batch of butts are to be introduced, and when this has been effected the sticks of the first set of butts are replaced and the removable section 12 of end frame 3 again secured in position. The removable section 12 also facilitates the un loading of the drum when the tanning operation is ccmpleted. p

Each stick or slat 2 before being placed in position in the two end frames 3 of the drum 1 has a butt 10 applied to each of its sides, and the two butts are firmly securedin position thereon by means of clamps composed of two disks 144each formed with a series of points or teeth 15 on one side and a central hole 16 for the passage of a bolt 17 therethrough. Openings are formed at suitable points (two or more) through the length of the sticks or slats 2 for the passage of the clamp bolts 17. and after the butts 10 have been applied one to each side thereof a disk 14 is placed with its pointed teeth l5 inward so as to bear on the top edge, and the bolts liquor drains olf their surfaces ening the nuts.

drum 1 to which suc-h applied will be conveyed into and through Y 17 then passed; through the two disks 14 and secured and tightened by a nut 18.

The butts 10 are -firmly secured on the sticks or slats 2, and by the rotation of the the liquor in which such drum 1 rotates in a practically edgewise position, and be lifted out therefrom with their free ends hanging down vertically'over the p'oles 9 so that the back into the vat 6, the repeated immersions andremovals from the liquor being effected without fear of injury to the butts at their points of suspension or attachment, or danger of detachment from the sticks or slatsf2, by vwhich they are carried. As the butts are by the rotation of the drum caused to 'pass edgewise one after the other through the liquor in the bottom of the vat, such liquor rushing between them 'will completely Hush both.

surfaces and at the same time roll their free ends over in a backward direction, giving -them a gentle bending action which expands and contracts the pores of the belt and thereby facilitates the penetration of the liquor to the interior. The lengths of the butts hanging down inside the vat are considerably shortened, and as they leave the liquor they. are gently horsed up over the, poles where they have time to drain olf before again entering the liquor.

On the completion of the tanning operation the sticks 2 with the butts attached thereto are lifted -from the drum 1 and the slackening of the nuts 18 will enable the butts to be removed, and the upper edge of the newrbutts to be treated to be inserted between the washers 14 and the sides of the sticks and then firmly securedby retight- An opening 6* .at the bottom of the vat 6 in which drum 1 rotates ermits ofthe withdrawal of the vliquor rom'said vat, and which preferably proceeds automatically through an .overflow connected with lsaid opening (not shown), as liquor 1s effected to the vat 6. om strong liquor tanks 19 in order tov maintainer increase the strength of liquor therein, to suit p sticks or slats 2 are- `livered `to trough lany time by inserting ,thermometer in the sald the supgly of fresh l the strength of liquor in the vat 6 means are provided for enabling its strength to be tested when necessary, for which purpose the drum l is fitted with a dipper or cup 24 which in its rotation delivers a portion of the liquor it has taken up to a trough 20 connected by a tube 21 with the bottom of a small exterior cup or receptacle 22, and from top of which a second tube 23 leads back to the interior of vat 6. The liquor de- 20 from dipper 24 will thus collect in cup 22 and overflow back into Vat 6 from which it has been taken, and the strength of which can be readily tested at the barkometer or cup 22, and so enable the supply of fresh strong liquor to the vat 6 to be regulated in accordance with requirements.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A tanning apparatus comprising a vat for containing the liquor, and a rotary drum having a peripheral series of removable slats provided with means for securing the ends of hides or skins thereto and a circular series of bars disposed inside said peripheral series of slats, said bars being sufliciently numerous and sufliciently spaced apart to afford support to the skinsduring the major part of the drums rotation.

2. A rotary drum for a tanning apparatus comprising end frames having openings near their peripheries, a circular series of removable slats disposed in said openings and provided with means for securing the ends of hides or skins thereto, and a circular series'of bars disposed inside said circular seriesvvof slats and adapted to give support to the bodies of the hides or skins during rotation of said drum, a section of said drum being removable to facilitate loading and unloading. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l EDWD. WILSON.

Witnesses:

A. HOLLINGSBEE, F. WRIGHT.

bodies of the hides or` 

